Intel Core i9-9900KS offers 8-core 5.0 GHz all-core boost speeds, world’s fastest gaming CPU
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Intel has officially announced the Intel Core i9-9900KS 8-Core 4.0GHz, a special edition processor which will be heading to store shelves near you from October 30th. The high-end chip will be priced at $513 and it’ll actually be a limited edition part so if you want in, you may want to make up your mind early.
The Intel Core i9-9900KS is based on the exact same 14nm+++ Coffee Lake process as the current Intel Core i9-9900 8-Core 3.1GHz, sporting 8 Cores / 16 Threads. Intel has simply picked out the best binned silicon and re-appropriated it for the Core i9-9900KS. That is to say, the Intel Core i9-9900KS will have guaranteed faster performance and is capable of faster overclocks than your typical Core i9-9900K.
Users will benefit from a sizeable 400 MHz bump to the base clock speed, albeit at the cost of guzzling down some extra juice with its 127W TDP. The 9900KS has the same 5.0 GHz boost frequency as the 9900K yet it achieves this across all cores, while the standard 9900K can only achieve 5.0 GHz across two cores.
The Intel Core i9-9900KS should also have great overclocking capabilities, although again this is going to come down to the quality of the specific chip a user ends up with. Whatever the case, 5GHz all-core boost frequency on 8 cores is formidable, and at $513 this processor is only about $20 more than a typical Core i9-9900K retails for.
Intel’s direct competitor at this price is AMD’s Ryzen 9 3900X. Priced at $499, the Ryzen 9 3900X benefits from an additional four cores, rocking 12C/24T. However, it’s also got lower clock speeds of 3.5GHz base and 4.7 GHz boost frequency. For heavily threaded applications this should mean the Ryzen 9 3900X is still the performance champion, although the lightning fast clock speeds will mean the Intel Core i9-9900KS is an absolute beast in terms of gaming performance. If PC games are your priority, this CPU right here should be the best of the best.
The Intel Core i9-9900KS will be available to order from this Wednesday, October 30th, priced at around $513.
What are your thoughts on this imperious new processor then, are you tempted to drop five big ones on ensuring you have fastest gaming CPU around? Or is the Ryzen 9 3900X still the value-for-money champion with its eight extra threads? Let us know below!
Our Favorite Comments
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“Basically you just pay more for better binned 9900K, which you technically can overclock. Though it makes me wonder how hot KS gets. Still this is CPU for fairly niche market of people who walk into store and say "give me the best, money is not an issue". Otherwise there are better alternatives in…”
Seth22087 –
